School bus photo safety expands

Orange County has expanded its school bus stop-arm photo enforcement program through the addition of three new school districts: Warwick Valley Central School District, Greenwood Lake Union Free School District, and Goshen Central School District.

To reduce the number of drivers who unlawfully pass stopped school buses and enhance student safety, the entire fleet of school buses in each of the districts has been equipped with cloud-connected, AI-powered safety technology. The program was launched in Goshen CSD in March, followed by Warwick Valley CSD and Greenwood Lake UFSD late last month.

“The safety of our children is non-negotiable, and this expansion underscores our deep commitment to protecting students across Orange County,” said Orange County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus. “Drivers who ignore the school bus red lights are putting lives at risk. Through this initiative, we are holding violators accountable and sending a clear message: the safety of our kids comes first, and reckless behavior will not be tolerated on our roads.”

The program is operated in collaboration with safety technology company BusPatrol, which works with municipalities and school districts across the country to enforce traffic laws and deter dangerous driving behaviors around school buses.

“We are proud of our partnership with Orange County and glad to see the additions of Warwick Valley, Greenwood Lake, and Goshen school districts,” BusPatrol CEO Karoon Monfared said. “This initiative is curbing illegal motorist behavior and making roads safer for children in Orange County.”

Every day, approximately 2.3 million children ride school buses in New York State. It’s estimated that more than 50,000 drivers statewide illegally pass stopped school buses with red lights flashing and stop-arms extended, putting students at serious risk.

New York State law requires motorists to stop at least 20 feet from a stopped school bus when its red lights are flashing, and the stop-arm is deployed. Violations captured by a stop-arm camera are issued to the vehicle owner and carry a minimum civil penalty of $250. These civil penalties do not impact driver’s license points or insurance rates.

“Student safety is paramount, and this initiative adds a critical layer of protection for our students on their daily ride to and from school,” said Greenwood Lake Union Free School District Superintendent of Schools Sarah Hadden. “We’re grateful to partner with the County to improve student safety.”

The three newly added districts join four others already participating in the County’s school bus safety program: Newburgh Enlarged City School District, the Enlarged City School District of Middletown, Washingtonville Central School District, and Kiryas Joel Village Union Free School District.

Additionally, four other school districts have officially opted into the program: Minisink Valley Central School District, Highland Falls-Fort Montgomery Central School District, Monroe-Woodbury Central School District, and Valley Central School District.

Since the program launched in May 2024, more than 15,000 violations have been issued across Orange County.